


All these years

by nightcrawler554



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cruise Ships, Ereri Week, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mom!Mikasa, Old!Eren, Young!Armin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 13:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1650647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightcrawler554/pseuds/nightcrawler554
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every year on the anniversary of his beloved's death Eren travels to his grave to tell him how that year has treated him, anything new, annoying and worthwhile- no matter what he'll tell him everything especially how terribly lonely he is</p>
            </blockquote>





	All these years

**Author's Note:**

> I DON'T CARE THAT I'M LATE I thought that I should in some way participate in ereri week, considering it's my OTP. Sadly however I couldn't come up with anything for each day so I just combined everything in one fic, this lovely little one shot. The themes will all make an aperance, in more ways than others and in ways you didn't expect so keep a look out for them because they're all there

Light, bright light shining down from the warm mid-day spring sun, a breeze so comfortable to cradle a relaxing nap from the most insomniac of children, birds fluttering through the air joining the clouds in their trip back home from the south. All the wonderful beautiful things of nature gathered together in one lovely back yard that connects to a marvelous two story home whose owner sits on the stoop connect the two. He sits there, old hands clasped together gently, his soft grey hair blows gently in the wind as his now dull green eyes watch a smaller much younger one run through the garden of the back yard. The young one wears and all blue footies pajamas with a green cape tied around his neck, his hair is a short radiant blonde and he has the clearest sea blue eyes, his smile ever present showing the joy of playing in the small open area which causes the elder to smile as well.

The boy stops when he looks at a single plant that's circled with a bunch of small stones, it's not in bloom, all the other flowers in the garden are blooming, from the roses to the blue-bells that decorate the entire garden, all are in bloom except for this plant, it just sits there poking out the ground between two bushes like it's nothing special but the boy can tell that it is, even though it doesn't look like it, he knows it is. He turns to his elder and runs to him, the elder smiles at the boy, his wrinkles making his smile look even bigger. When the child finally reaches him he stops so fast that he slips from the grass but lands safely in the arms of his elder.

"Sorry Eren! I slipped!" the boy yells and the elder chuckles

"It's Ok Armin I caught you, and there's no need to yell, my hearing aid is working fine today" he said gently "Now what seems to be the matter hm? You ran all the way here- what? Did you see monster?"

Armin giggled "No. I came because I wanted to know what's wrong with that flower?" he points at the flower he was looking at.

Eren squints his eyes to see which one he's talking about but can't so he reaches to the side to pull out his glasses "Um... that- oh! You must be talking about the Kurinji"

"Kurinji?"

"Yes the Kurinji plant has beautiful violet and blue flowers, it is normally on the mountainsides in the Western Ghats of South India and the sight of those flowers has earned those mountains the name 'The Blue Mountains' ... sadly it only blooms once every twelve years. I used to go see it in it's natural environment" He pulled his arms up and wiggled them weakly "But since I got all old I couldn't go anymore so I had some brought here so that I can see them from my window"

Armin giggled at the display of arm wiggling "So when will they bloom?"

"How old are you again?"

"I'm seven!"

Eren nodded "Hm, funnily enough the year that you was born was also the year I had that flower planted, it's also the same year that I met your mother so... I'm guessing when you're 12 or 13 that's when they'll bloom" he sighs "Yeesh- I'll be 110 by then, I'm getting old and... uh... hm?" he heard sniffling and looked down to see Armin crying "Hey little buddy what's wrong?"

"That's not fair, I won't be able to see the flower with you" he sniffed again

"Well why not?"

"Because... I'm sick, mommy won't tell me what it is but I heard her on the phone talking to my dad... she was yelling so she was angry and I heard her say that I only had one more year left to live" the tears started flowing more.

Eren started wiping at the tears as fast as his trembling hands could "It's Ok, she was probably talking about something else-"

"NO!" Armin shouted "She was talking about me because she only calls daddy when it's about me because mommy hates daddy!" he started running to the other side of the garden "It's not fair! I won't get to see the flowers!" Armin ran to go hide in between the blue-bells and the roses.

Eren sighed and reached for his cane, he put it on the ground so he could safely make it off the stoop, standing up at full his body was still hunched over a bit, slowly making his way over to his crying friend. When he makes it over there he's already tired and his knees are hurting, thinking to himself how his body isn't what it used to be. "Armin, it's ok. Come on out."

He sniffs "NO! I don't wanna!" there was a hic "If I can't see the flower then I don't wanna come out!"

Eren sighed again as he painfully got on his knee with a grunt so as to be at eye level with Armin "Armin. You'll get to see that flower bloom, I'll make sure of it"

Armin looked at Eren with extreme doubt but saw his eyes, they were dulled over but he could tell that there was still something in there that told him he could trust Eren. Armin ran from under the rose bush and into Eren's arms, effectively knocking the old man on his back with a thud, damn this kid is strong and good thing I had those thorns cut Eren thought as he groaned from being knocked down, he heard some mumbling and lifted his head as far as he could "What was that?"

"You promise?" Armin said as he lifted his head to look at Eren

Eren smiled "But of course! You're my best friend Armin, and I always keep my promises" Armin nodded and smiled back, Eren sighed once more and put his head down "I've fallen and I can't get up"

Armin giggled "You sound like one of those people on the commercial"

Eren stressed "Because I've really fallen and I can't get up! Go get your mother! Hurry!" Armin jumped up and rushed into the house screaming for his mother and something about TV being real. Eren chuckled and turned his head to face the Kurnji plant, he smiled sadly at it "Yeah I promise Armin, you'll see the flower bloom... though I wonder if I'll be able too..." he turned his head to look back up at the sky and closed his eyes, relishing in how the breeze feels against his skin and many layers of sweaters. He sighs and a tear escapes his eye "I really miss you ya know"

He was very close to falling asleep till he heard loud footsteps and a sudden gasp "Mr. Jaeger!" he opened his eyes when he heard his name called "Oh! Hey look Mikasa I'm a turtle!"

Armin giggled and the woman sighed as she made her way over to the defenseless citizen "Honestly Mr. Jaeger this is not funny, you could seriously be hurt, you're too old to be playing games like this" she grunted as she helped him up, her long black hair getting in the way but she just blew it out of the way revealing her grey-blue eyes.

"I'm not old and stop calling me Mr. Jaeger it makes me feel old." he grunted as he finally gets back on his feet.

She hands him his cane "That's because you are old"

Armin ran over and tugged at his mother's sleeve "It wasn't Eren's fault mom, honest. I knocked him down by accident! You see I-"

"What are you talking about old sport? We were playing one of them games you young whippersnappers be playing and he won. It involved a turtle and a car right?" Armin just looked up at him confused and Mikasa just shook her head

"What ever you two were doing just be careful next time. Now Mr. Jaeger-"

"Eren"

"Now Eren. You're stuff is ready by the door, do you still need me to drive you to the dock?"

He nodded "Yes."

"Ok. Armin go run upstairs and put some clothes on you're going to your father's for the weekend."

"Why can't I stay with Eren this weekend?"

"You know why, Mr.- excuse me- Eren has a trip this weekend. And it's a special trip so he wants to go alone- ah! No buts!"

Armin looked down and Eren petted his head "Don't worry pal, I'll be back before you know it, now go do what your mother said and go get ready." Armin nodded and ran into the house leaving Mikasa and Eren alone in the garden.

"So how are things with his father anyway?" Eren asked, making sure that Armin was out of hearing range.

Mikasa sighed "Apparently Erwin is getting engaged to the girl he was dating for the past year and she's pregnant too. I think her name is Petra"

Eren nodded "Have you told Armin yet?"

She gripped her red scarf that hung snugly around her neck "No, I'll let Erwin tell him... if there's anything else I can get you some tea, you look cold" Eren nodded, the quick pace at how she changed the subject shows that she still hasn't come to peace with that side of her life yet so he'll leave it alone, but yelled for her attention before she was gone.

"Can you go get me my phone please, I need to call my lawyer and discuss some things." she nodded and went back into the house. He smiled and walked to the little Kurnji plant and smiled at it "And soon you'll be blooming before he knows it too"

* * *

Dark, it's dark the only light source being the billions of stars, the ginormous moon and the few lights still left on the cruise ship, the wind is salty but the sea is steady allowing every passenger on the ship to rest peacefully all except a certain few members of the crew and one single passenger. One that roams the deck at late hours only on this day, he does so every year that the crew is already aware of his patterns and leaves him be, that one passenger is Eren Jaeger. He takes in a deep breath as he walks along the deck, slowly and a bit clumsily because even if the sea is steady his legs sure aren't.

Yet he walks enjoying the sound of the gentle splashes of the waves while ignoring how cold the wind makes him as it blows under his night gown, refusing to take it off or put anything else on for it would be too much work for his old bones

When he makes it to the back of the ship, he goes all the way to the railing and leans on it. He looks up to the moon and sighs deeply before looking at his watch he sees that its almost midnight. Soon we'll be passing over it he thought to himself, it never gets any easier. He turns his attention to the sea and smiles sadly before taking another deep breath.

"Hello Levi, soon it'll be almost midnight and we'll be passing over you and the ship that took you from me... Ah let me stop right there. Its impolite, I should start with the good things first right?" he stopped waiting for an answer but was only met with silence and he nodded

"Ok, now lets see, anything good that happened this year... Hmm, now my memory is fading on me so you'll have to give me a minute - but I'm thinking though. Ah! Mikasa has gotten accepted into that college she applied for, now I told her to go for those big shot universities because she's smart enough but said that she needs to have money for Armin. Such a good mother, wish I could do more for her- and I got a plan and considering how old I am it won't take long to fall through." he laughs

"You know she reminds me of you. Her kindness, her loyalty, her strength - she even has your eyes Levi! The only thing missing is your foul mouth" he laughs some more "Now don't get mad at me you know it's true" he starts coughing "... No, no I'm ok. No need to worry... My lungs aren't what they used to be too. I'm amazed they don't have me on a machine yet.... Remember when we used to lay in bed together, thinking about the future? At times like those i would secretly wish that I was a woman so that I could bear you a child. I remember how much you loved kids... I'm so sorry I could never give you any, but I always thought that if we had one it would definitely be Mikasa, she's the perfect fit. I practically already adopted her so no buts."

He sighed "Speaking of children, our technical grandson Armin, that kid is smart, only seven and he can solve advance math problems, he's going somewhere with that head of his. Yet though I say that all he wants to do is be a florist, I suggested going into plant biology, and then I explained what plant biology was, he said it was cool but still wants to be a florist, saying that he wants to grow the most beautiful flowers for his mother and I. It's mostly my fault, I don't mean to brag or anything but I do have one hell of a garden... Armin... Well he's not doing too good, Levi. The boy's sick, really sick, and Mikasa is doing her best but..." he sighs and rubs the side of his face, wrinkles moving with the motion "Well I have an idea for what I can do, but going out with old age isn't going to cut it, so I'm getting done tonight or another day because guess what, this is my last year. After this year, they're putting me in a home and I don't plan on kicking the bucket in some pit that smells like bengay and denture cream. So let's go"

Eren puts his cane down gently enough to not make too much noise. "You know you're a lucky bastard, you didn't have to grow old and get all these random things I got." he tried sitting back up but grunted in pain "Whoo, she's right I am getting old. I got this thing called gout, what the fuck is that even, then this disk in my back, my knees, this fucking hp replacement, a bunch of other shit. I tell you love, these aren't the golden years, fuck what they tell you, age ain't pretty."

When he's finally up he places a foot on the bar and tries to hoist himself up. "Oh shit that's my knee. You know its you're fault too that I'm this old, first you save me on that sinking ship, giving me your spot on the dingy and staying behind, and for the the next 74 years you deny me a death that would take me to you."

He puts his other foot on the next bar and almost slips "Christ, they should get somebody to wipe these things down, highly dangerous, someone could slip." he chuckles "98 years old and still a little shit, ha, take that!... 98 huh, I remember like it was yesterday, I was 24 and you were 25- pfft, you old fuck... We were all excited about fleeing Germany and coming to America and living a life away from all that hate and sadness, and then you go and die, leaving me alone for 74 years. You know I tried"

He put his foot on the other bar "Tried to live that first year without you but I couldn't, so I tried to join you, I even got all romantic and got on a cruise that passed over you so that I could physically be with you you, but every year, each year you wouldn't let me. Each day for 74 years I would come up here, talk to you and try to jump but each time you would push me back with your winds."

He finally makes it up to the last few bars and tightly gripped the one closer to him "I'm tired Levi, I've lived, long enough for the both of us and too much without you and I'm tired. So if you deny me now, I just ask you be gentle because last time you blew me down I almost broke my hip. I'm 98 damn it, respect your elders you old fuck." he looked to his watch "Alright its midnight. They say old people talk too much so I'll wrap it up here... I'm ready, so please come get me"

He closes his eyes and waits, silence wraps around Eren as he stands on those bars waiting for the winds that will knock him back on the ship telling him to live for another painstaking year. But it didn't, it didn't come to push him back on the ship, it didn't come to let him live alone for another year. It came and it pushed him forward, towards the sea, it pushed him towards the sea and Eren opened his eyes and smiled so brightly it rivaled the moon, tears streamed from his eyes at the extreme amount of joy he was feeling. Finally, finally he can go join his beloved, after all these years, he could go join him.

Eren looked down at the water, watching as how his tears disappeared in the blue abyss "... If only that day so many years ago the sea was this calm... then maybe we could have lived those 74 years together..." he said so quietly, words filled with both happiness and sadness before he let go of the bar and and falls into the ocean with a huge splash. Everyone is asleep and the walls of the ship are too thick to hear him and the last few crew members had already headed off to bed, no one would know that he fell, no one would notice that he was gone. He did not bother to hold his breath or struggle, he let the water fill his lungs and the dangerous temperature engulf his body as he welcomed the darkness and silence that would take him. Before everything goes dark he sees the last remnants of the leave and wonders if Levi felt like this when he fell to the ocean floor.

* * *

There was a bright light and then total darkness, then eyes open, Eren was there in the ocean surrounded by the flow of the waves and the silence. He searched and looked around but saw nothing but the ocean until something white caught his eyes, it was him, his body, he went to reach for it and saw his hand it was glowing but other than that it wasn't wrinkly. He brought his glowing hand back to him, forgetting about his body completely as it floated to the top of the ocean, he looked at his hand, there were no wrinkles and no spots, it was young. He reached up to his face and it wasn't wrinkled as all, he was young again, he felt all around his body unable to believe what had happened.

He stops when something else catches his attention, he turns around and sees another glowing figure just like himself, it is a man whose short black hair and steel eyes stand out against his glow, his smile is warm and his arms welcoming as he holds them out in Eren's direction. Eren smiles so wide that it looks as though his face might burst as tears flow from his eyes as move up in the form of bubbles in the sea, he places a hand over over his mouth as he continues to look at the other man. the other mouths something and Eren dashes into his arms, holding as tightly as he could and sobbing happily into the sea as the other smiled and rubbed his face along Eren's shoulder.

Finally, finally after so long, they are together again.

* * *

"Now I'll proceed with the reading of the will" A women with short blonde hair with glasses said as she sat at a desk with a pare in her hand, the only other remaining people in her office are a young woman holding a jar with long black hair dressed in black except for her red scarf and a young blonde boy also dressed in black with tears in his eyes. Mikasa nodded to the women as she gripped at Armin's hand with her free one, as if to comfort him from another crying fit, the death of Eren still sat heavy with him as his eyes were red from all the crying he has been doing.

Two months ago Eren was pronounced missing when he wasn't found on the ship, for an entire month Mikasa and Armin never gave up hope until one day they received a call saying that the body of Eren Jaeger was found and was completely dis formed from all the water the body has absorbed that it took them a while to even identify the body. Mikasa was livid and Armin devastated but their voices went unheard about the death of their dead friend because that's all he technically was to them, just a friend, so law suit couldn't be filed and no body could be buried since it wouldn't fit in a casket, but that didn't matter since he was cremated before they could even claim the body.

So the two broken souls sat their listening to the last words that Eren has left them while holding on to his remains, they couldn't bare to part with it, the pain still fresh in their hearts.

The women nodded "As Eren's lawyer I find it funny that the day before he died he asked me to change his will that he left untouched for ten years, but now seeing you two I understand why" Mikasa looked at her weirdly and the women fixed her glasses "Here goes. I, Eren Jaeger, will now speak a few words before the official bits are read. To my darling Mikasa, though we were only friends and have known each other for a short time you have become a immovable stone in my heart that I will never dream of removing. For the six years that I've come to known you, I have fallen in love and if I ever were to have any daughters I wish that they would have grown to be half the woman you are. You are beautiful, strong, kind, a brilliant mother, a great ping pong player and deserve the world so I'll give it to you. To you Mikasa Ackerman I leave all my worldly possessions and of course fiances, which took me quite a bit to rustle together." Mikasa broke out into a sob

"Now my little friend I didn't forget you, along with everything I'm giving to your mother which you'll receive half of, I also leave my friendship and my garden. I know you're probably mad at me for leaving you and I would be mad at me too and I'm sorry, but no matter the situation it was time for me to go. So please don't be sad that I died, death is a part of life and it's proof that we lived and I want you to live a long healthy life. So grow up and become strong and take care of your mother and the Kurnji plant too, I may not be able to watch it bloom with you but I promised that you would get to see it bloom, so please except this as my apology, Armin. I love you both very much." Armin squeezed his mother's hand as tear threaten to fall from his eyes, but Eren asked him to be strong and take care of his mother so that's what he'll do.

"Now to the official bits, would you be so kind Ms. Rico" said women coughed and began talking again "Now I shall read, what he calls the official bits. To Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Ackerman, the only heirs present in Eren Jaeger's will, will receive his house and all possessions located within and out. Also from all his investments, stocks and business associates in many major marketing companies, you both are left with the equal total share of $2.3 million dollars"

Mikasa looked up and stared at the woman as if she had grown an extra arm "What?"

Rico chuckled "I guess you didn't know. Mr. Jaeger owns 25% of a couple of major hotels and restaurants and has a few small business that he ran back in his glory days, he was quite the busy body, he just never spoke of it before- oh and the final words... Please except this, I really wanted to help you out so I hope this works.... That's it"

Mikasa turned and looked at her son, she didn't care about the dream school, she could finally afford the treatment Armin needed for his illness, her baby was going to live. She busted out in another sobbing fit and Armin looked up to her caressing her face still trying to keep the tears from his eyes, Mikasa brought Armin to her body with one arm and tightly gripped the jar in her arms "Thank you Eren."

* * *

_5 years later_

Armin stands by the now blooming Kurnji plant in his back yard of roses and bluebells, he's now taller and his blonde hair now longer and brought back in a short ponytail, he sighs and breaths in the warm air "You're right Eren it is beautiful" he smiles sweetly at the flower he never thought he'd see. He hears panting and small footsteps running towards him, the sounds belonging to a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes just like Armin, she's in a purple dress and white shoes.

"Armin! Armin!" the little girl shouted when she reached his leg

"Yes, Annie?" he smiled sweetly at the little girl

"Mommy said come on or we're gonna miss your mommy's gradchuadon!"

"It's graduation, and I'm coming. Come here" he grabbed her hand and led her to the blooming flower "You see this? it's called the Kurnji plant. It was planted the same year I was born"

Annie stares mesmerized by the flower "Wow it's so pretty and it's the same color as my dress!" she said excitedly.

Armin nodded "Yeah, that flower only blooms once every 12 years. A very special friend told me that."

"Whose your friend?"

"He's-"

"Armin! Annie! Let's go or we'll be late!" a woman shouted from inside the house

"Coming Petra!" Armin yelled back "You go on, I'll be right there. We'll talk more about it later" the girl nodded and ran off and Armin followed, he stepped on the stoop to get in the house and looked back before closing the door, smiling at the blooming flower  
"Thank you Eren" he said finally before walking in and closing the door

A warm breeze and a light hand moves along the blooming flower, he smiles as his green eyes and brown hair stand out against his glow. Another hand appears and touches his shoulder, smiling sweetly down at him and the flower, one happy that their beloved got to see their flower and the other happy to see their beloved. Green eyes stand to envelope grey in a hug before pulling back and placing their lips on the other, feeling at peace in pure bliss of happiness the two glowing figures disappear into two smaller lights that fade as they float to the sky.

**Author's Note:**

> 1st thanks for reading  
> For those of you wondering why didn't Eren help her earlier- it's because Mikasa didn't tell Eren of Armin's sickness and she didn't want to rely on an elderly man let alone her friend who is probably living off of his retirement, she didn't think it right or adult like of her because she was Armin's mom and it was her problem alone. And since Mikasa felt that Way Eren didn't speak up about being rich but if he did know about Armin he definitely would have helped in a heartbeat  
> Ok now how did this fic make you feel? Because I had shed a tear while writing it, gave me feels when i thought it up  
> wanna speak or converse with me or whatever my tumblr name is the same as this nightcrawler554


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